• Financial performance: Castrol reported a 25% year-on-year increase in quarterly sales to ₹1,871 crore and a 42% surge in net profit to ₹348 crore, driven by mid- to high-single-digit volume growth across segments.
• Margin guidance: EBITDA margin reached approximately 26% in Q2, but management expects margins to normalize back to the guided 21% to 24% band as delayed raw material cost increases hit the P&L in upcoming quarters.
• Distribution expansion: The company expanded its Rural Service Express network to about 950 units, grew Castrol Auto Service centers to roughly 850, and reached 45,000 rural dealers alongside new synthetic and industrial product launches.
• EV transition strategy: To address the shift away from traditional ICE engines, Castrol is supplying EV fluids through its Castrol ON range, co-creating solutions for alternate fuels like CNG and hybrids, and diversifying into auto care, services, and industrial segments.